Gateway into the Night
by Westward
Summary: Night Vale seems like a perfect community in the Arizona desert if it wasn't for the superstitions and ghost stories that keep most of the residents out of the desert at night. Carlos comes into town to study the surrounding area for a Finals Project. While there, he disturbs something in the desert and causes the monsters from the ghost stories to enter their Night Vale at night.


It was simply fascinating.

There was no other way that Carlos could describe what he was seeing. He was standing out in the middle of the Arizona desert, surrounded in desert shrubs and small cacti which only reached about knee length. A faint desert breeze hit his face and ruffled his hair as he looked over towards the horizon on the flat land. Carlos brought his open hand over his eyes to shield them from the sun. He squinted as he watched the golden orb hover just above the desert landscape. Carlos estimated that he'd have perhaps two more hours of sunlight before he'd have to wait until morning to work in the field again.

Carlos frowned slightly and returned his attention back to the anomaly. It was the first time he had spotted it today and he didn't want to misplace it. It truly was fascinating.

To most people, they would have accepted the anomaly as a children's game in the dirt at first glance. It was merely a circle in the ground made with something that was lighter than the natural desert grime. A complex design compromised the inside of the circle, which Carlos had sketched in his notebook as soon as he discovered the anomaly. Carlos bent down to one knee and gripped a hand in the lighter dirt, only to discover that it was a fine, smooth white sand that slipped through his fingers easily.

"That's odd." Carlos muttered to himself. He continued to feel the white sand, comparing it to the rough dirt it laid upon with his other hand. The course Desert dirt felt like sandpaper against his palm while the sand felt as smooth as silk. "You belong on a beach in the Bahamas. Not here in the middle of Arizona. How did you get here?"

Carlos set his notepad down on the ground and took off his knapsack and set it beside his feet. Carlos found his water bottle and took a quick chug of the luke warm water to refresh his parched mouth. He set the water bottle aside and dug further down the bag. Carlos was searching through the bag's contents, looking for a test tube or some other vial that he could keep a sample of the sand in. He found a small glass vial on the bottom of the knapsack and quickly screwed off the top. Just as he was about to skim the layer of the white sand with the vial, a large pale hand caught his wrist.

Carlos looked at the intruding hand and up to the person it belonged to. It was his quiet guide, Dennis Fisher. The man looked intimidating enough for Carlos to pause what he was doing, despite the fact that Dennis wore an absurd Indian Headdress despite his obvious European-Caucasian background. He looked solemnly down at Carlos, shaking his head slowly as if warning the scientist that his course of actions were not a good idea. Dennis loosened his grip on Carlos' wrist, and Carlos pulled his hand away.

"I would not do that if I were you, Mr. Romero. Best leave this place be in case you don't want to upset the spirits that rest here." Dennis said as he stood up and returned to leaning against the silver Ford pickup truck, crossing his arms and keeping an eye on the scientist.

"Oh?" Carlos said as he stood up and dusted off his slacks sharply, meeting with no success at rubbing the orange dirt out of the khaki material. "And why would that be, Dennis?"

Dennis remained silent for a long minute, staring at Carlos judgmentally. He seemed like he was deciding if Carlos was worthy enough to know the answer. Carlos waited impatiently for his guide to answer him. When Dennis didn't, Carlos once again bent down and prepared himself to take a sample of the sand. If the man would not give him an answer, then as a scientist, Carlos would find out for himself.

Finally, Dennis let out a small sigh before averting his powerful gaze, giving Carlos some breathing room. The scientist paused and looked up at the Guide.

"This circle is called La Pasarela a la Noche in Spanish, which is roughly translated to the Gateway into Night." Dennis said, his voice ruffled slightly in the desert wind. Other than the wind, the world went quiet to the Guide's words, leaving the two men in an uncomfortable silence. "It has been called this for centuries, even the Native Americans who first lived here called this unholy ground and would not disturb it. Many people of this town still keep these beliefs and wish to keep it untouched for superstitious reasons. Reasons that I agree with."

Dennis paused, giving Carlos a deadly glare.

" No good can come from disturbing the ground that we tread upon."

"That's... interesting." Carlos commented as he quickly scribbled the man's words down next to his sketch of the circle. His curiosity was genuine and he looked up at the Guide, wishing that the man could tell him just a little bit more. "Are there any old stories about the circle?"

Dennis raised one of his blonde eyebrows. "Yes, old tales passed down from many generations of both Native American and Hispanic origin. However, most of them have been turned into scary stories told around the campfire by the youth. They have changed drastically, and most do not even resemble their original tales."

Carlos nodded his head, "Is there anyone back in town that would still know the original stories? For documentation's sake?"

Dennis was growing cautious now, and he forced himself off of the Ford's side and walked up to the scientist. The man placed his balled fists onto his hips, trying to become an authoritative figure. The man stood at least a foot above Carlos, towering over the man. Carlos was not considered short by any means, and to have someone staring down at you with this much height gave Carlos unneeded chills down his spine.

He seemed, cautious with his next words.

"Why do you want to know?" Dennis finally asked.

"Well, I came here to scientifically investigate the area around here if I want to earn my Master's Degree." Carlos said confidently. "This is a fascinating little town here in the middle of Arizona, full of superstitions and tales of monsters. This town sounds like it is extremely haunted, but it's ignored universally by everyone. It's unlike any other place in this Country, and no one seems to notice or even care. I, however, want to find out why."

As he spoke, Carlos placed his journal back into his knap sack and discreetly held onto the vial underneath his white lab coat. He was determined to get a sample of the sand, especially now after his Guide was making such a big fuss about it. He came here to do research, and that is what he intended to do. As he spoke, he tried to keep Dennis' eyes off of his hands as he bent down as if to tie his shoes and fill the vial with a portion of the white sand. Thankfully, Carlos' Guide did not notice his actions.

Dennis frowned at this, confused.

"If you are a scientist, then why come to Night Vale and chase down ghost stories? Perhaps looking at the town and desert at a geologic scale would be more beneficial to you and your studies. I do not know of any scientists that study spirits."

Carlos smiled that this. He had heard this before from his professor at the University right after he told the old man his plans to spend his summer at the desert community. The professor had been dumbfounded at his brightest student's plans, believing that Carlos's Final project would cause the young man his Degree and force him to spend another year at the University. The old man had urged Carlos to change his mind, even insisting that he came with him to Antarctica for the Summer to do the project with him under his supervision. Carlos' answer to his professor was the same he gave to his Guide.

"Yes, that might be the more sensible thing to do, but I believe that with every ghost story, there is a small grain of truth. And as a scientist I plan to discover what that truth is and explore it." Carlos said with as much confidence as he could muster under the Guide's confused and judgmental stare.

"Very well," Dennis said with a sigh, finally breaking his cold demeanor for the hopeful scientist. "But I won't feel sorry for you when your two months here is spent and all that you've gained is a headache. You have another hour out here before I decide to drive back into town. I don't like being out in the Desert at night."

Carlos frowned, furrowing his eyebrows together. They still had at least two hours before sunset. He wanted to remain in the field as much as possible to collect data.

"Why so early?" Carlos called to the man as Dennis climbed into the Ford's front seat.

"Like I said, I don't like being in the Desert at night. Especially around the Gateway into Night. It's best if we're both in town when the sun hits the horizon." Dennis said, explaining his reasons calmly and collectedly. He was holding the silver Ford's door open, and the truck was letting out a small dinging noise that Carlos found annoying. "Besides, we still need to find you a place to stay until you're apartment has been approved by the city council. And you are not staying with me at my place."

"I can find myself somewhere to stay until then!" Carlos said in an irritated tone, becoming frustrated with the older man.

"You've been here for roughly six hours, and five of those have been spent here in the Desert." Dennis pointed out before slamming the door, only to open it seconds later. He poked his head out to speak again. "However, I know that some of the students from the community college would be willing to let you bunk with them tonight if you ask them politely. You are all students, after all."

"I suppose you're right. You can tell me their address when we head back to Night Vale." Carlos said as Dennis shut the car door again. Once again, he was left to his own devices. "Now, let me finish up here before I have to leave."

The next hour was spent in the surrounding area, as Carlos decided to spend the few days studying the Gateway after he had researched the history of it and listened to a few of the ghost stories around town. Carlos collected a few more dirt samples and even took a few plant leaves and cactus needles. Right now he had no idea of what he wanted to exclusively focus on for his Final project and decided to study the desert as a whole until something caught his eye.

Carlos never made it far from Dennis or the man's truck, which cut down on the amount of research that he could delve into that wasn't concerned with the sand circle. It grew to the point that Carlos was stuck at an impasse and gave up. The scientist looked towards the west and squinted his eyes when the glare almost blinded him. The sun was just beginning to touch the horizon, signaling the end of his time in the Desert.

Carlos sighed in defeat and retreated back towards the Silver Ford. Dennis had started the truck already in anticipation, and the truck's bright headlights helped the scientist find his way back. Dennis flashed the lights on and off to show his impatience, which only made Carlos wave for the man to stop as he placed his knapsack and his supplies in the open back. After making sure that none of his work would roll around as they headed out of the Desert, Carlos climbed into the passenger seat, only to have Dennis accelerate as soon as he closed the door.

"You were cutting it close, Mr. Romero." Dennis muttered as he made a U-turn, at a safe distance from the sand circle, and held a good thirty miles an hour over the rough desert terrain. Carlos clung to his life as he gripped the side of his seat and the handle just above his head. Dennis looked unflustered and turned to look at the scientist. "I've agreed to be your guide these next two months but if you keep waiting until the last moment to leave, then don't be surprised if you find yourself walking back to town."

The Ford hit a large rock and it almost sent Carlos flying out of his seat if it wasn't for his seatbelt.

"I'll keep that in mind, Dennis." Carlos said through gritted teeth.

"Please Mr. Romero, only my parents are allowed to call me Dennis. Call me either Mr. Fisher or the Apache Tracker." He said, returning his attention to the desert landscape. "The people in town call me both, and I answer to either one."

"Okay, then." Carlos said, nodding his head in agreement. A few minutes passed in silence, and then Carlos remembered what the Apache Tracker said earlier. "Are you still going to tell me the names of the people who remember those old haunted tales?"

The Apache Tracker grunted. "Old woman Josie's ancestors have lived here long before the United States was even colonized. Stories have been brought down from generation to generation. She would be the most reliable source, that is if you could get her to pay attention to you. She's over eighty years old and her memories are going, but she is as active as a ten year old." The Apache Tracker smiled softly as if remembering a happy memory. "That old woman can't sit still.

"The next best person to talk to is the history professor at Night Vale Community College. He's not as old as old woman Josie, nor as wise, but he's collected old texts about our town's history and is just about as knowledgeable as she is. However, he isn't from here; moved here from Desert Bluffs about twelve years ago. If you're looking for someone that's from here, then you probably don't want to talk to him.

"Other than that, I guess you could get the ghost stories from any number of children. I'm also sure that the city council or the Night Vale public library has some information that could be of some use for you."

Carlos remained silent as he nodded his head sharply, trying to repeat the man's words over and over again in his head in an attempt to memorize them. The Apache Tracker did not give the scientist another chance to ask him a question or strike up a conversation again as he turned on the radio and listened to the baseball game held between Desert Bluffs and Night Vale. They listened to the game for the rest of the time in the car, finally reaching the outskirts of the town by the time that the inning had ended.

The Apache Tracker drove down the roads until they reached the Night Vale Community College, where he took a left away from the college and towards a seemingly residential street. He stopped the car at the curb of a rundown two story house that was obviously a rental for college students. Carlos gave him a confused look and was about to ask the man why they had stopped here and not the motel. To answer the silent question, the Apache Tracker honked the horn twice to signal his arrival.

The front door swung open soon after, revealing a young woman in her early twenties wearing a T-shirt that was too large for her body and a pair of cut off jeans. She was obviously African American, with a beautiful milk chocolate complexion. The woman sported a small, curly afro and a pair of glasses that rested on top of her head. She was followed by a short woman of Asian descent in a pair of pajamas and a tall Caucasian young man with blonde, curly hair holding a bowl of food in his hands.

"You must be the Scientist, Carlos Romero." The African American woman greeted Carlos with a charming smile. She held out a hand as Carlos climbed out of the truck. Carlos took it and smiled back. "I'm Dana, and this here is Stacey and Richard. We got a call from Mr. Apache here saying that a fellow college student needed a couch to sleep on for the next couple days."

"Hello there Dana. Stacey, Richard." Carlos greeted them. "I don't want to be a burden, but a couch to crash on would be most welcome."

"We've all been there, Carlos. We're all college students after all." Dana said as she waved goodbye to the Apache Tracker as he drove away.

"Of course, it looks like you're a few years ahead of us, Mr. Romero." Richard commented as he closed the door behind them.

"Please don't call me Mr. Romero, Richard. It makes me feel like I'm my old man." Carlos said as he dropped his knapsack by the dining table. "Call me Carlos. Besides, I'm only twenty eight. I've got at least two years left if I want to get my Doctorate's."

"Wow, that's way too many years in school for me." Stacey commented as she took out a bowl of cold soup from the fridge. "Hell, three years here at NVCC has been too long for me."

"Oh, no not for me. Learning is an experience that I never want to give up." Carlos said as he finally shrugged off his lab coat, which had been fully covered in orange desert dirt. He yawned before continuing. "Although I can say that nine years stuck in the same University can get pretty boring after a while. Especially if you have the same professors over and over again."

Carlos' yawn did not escape Dana's attention and she quickly grabbed a set of pillows and blankets from the closet in the call. "You've got to be tired, Carlos. How long have you been up?"

"I had to get up at four thirty this morning to catch the plane from Chicago. And after I landed in Phoenix, it took about five hours to drive here, and the rest of the day I've spent in the Desert around the town."

"You've got to be exhausted then." Dana said as she roughly shoved the blankets and pillows at Carlos. The scientist caught them in his arms and Dana gave him a soft smile. "If I were you, I'd get to sleep. We'll go upstairs for the rest of the night to give you some peace. The bathroom is down the hall and on the second door to the left if you want to take a shower."

"Thanks for letting me spend the night here." Carlos thanked again as he watched the three college students go up the small, rickety staircase.

"No problem. Now get some sleep; you look like you're going to pass out any second." Dana said before disappearing upstairs as a door slammed closed. Her voice rang through the wooden door. "We can get better acquainted after you've got some rest!"

"Sounds like a plan!" Carlos shouted back, smiling.

Carlos was quick to prepare for bed despite it only being eight at night. He truly was tired, as Dana had pointed out, and he had to get some sleep if he wanted to work on those samples that he took from the Desert in the morning. He turned off the lights on the first floor of the house and quickly changed into his pajamas. As he sunk into the old shabby couch, sleep began to overtake him. Carlos last thoughts drifted to his knapsack and the samples that rested inside of it. He remembered the sample he took of the sand circle, which left his head filled with dreams of the possibilities of ghosts and monsters as he finally fell asleep.


End file.
